


Amaranthine

by Razzaroo



Category: Black Cat
Genre: Canon - Manga, Gen, M/M, their relationship is either romantic or really intense friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-11
Updated: 2016-12-11
Packaged: 2018-09-07 23:55:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,446
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8821324
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Razzaroo/pseuds/Razzaroo
Summary: "They put him in a gaping, empty building. He's the only patient but he recognises it; this is where Kranz was taken, when he was blinded, bringing Baldor with him. This was where they'd brought Ash, cut near to ribbons. This is where Numbers are brought to die." Nizer survives his shooting in the Apostles' castle.





	

When he wakes, the Elders almost immediately have him moved into one of Chronos's private medical facilities. It's for safety, Sephiria says; it's for control, Jenos says. Nizer believes them both.

They put him in a gaping, empty building. He's the only patient but he recognises it; this is where Kranz was taken, when he was blinded, bringing Baldor with him. This was where they'd brought Ash, cut near to ribbons. This is where Numbers are brought to die. He doesn't know what the rest of the building is used for; just that it _is._

"Why don't you sleep?"

"I slept enough."

"A coma's not sleeping."

Nizer's taken to wandering the halls at night. Jenos joins him when he finds out. Tonight, they've made it up the tower and every breath Nizer takes is agony.

"You're white as a sheet," Jenos says and he pulls a window back. A night wind blows in, cool and refreshing after a summer's day.

"I'm still dying, Jenos."

"Aren't we all?" Jenos turns and a shaft of moonlight cuts his smile in two. He falters, "Please don't die today."

Nizer thinks about pain that squeezes in his chest and remembers the exact floor they took Ash to, the look on his face as he finally succumbed to his injuries. He sighs and leans against the wall and is all too aware of how warm Jenos is next to him.

He's making no promises.

* * *

He's eventually discharged with a cautionary word from Sephiria: a discharge doesn't necessarily save him from a dismissal. She promises to put in good words for him, to help him keep his position, but can't guarantee anything.

He's not asking for guarantees.

The flat he comes back to is dark, all curtains drawn and the windows shut tight. The place smells of polish and it's alien to him now. He passes everything to collapse onto his own bed, keys dropped to the ground and his phone forgotten.

The phone buzzes and a messages roll across the screen. It's from the only number he really wants to hear from and the one person who really shouldn't know he's out.

_Welcome home_

Nizer takes only a moment to reply.

_Thanks. Get back to work, Jenos._

* * *

Kranz is quiet in everything he does at the best of times; when his mood is soured, he is near enough silent. In some ways, it's a relief. There are times Nizer wants quiet and when Nizer wants to punch something and Kranz can provide both.

"You're being reckless," Kranz says when Nizer stops, "You shouldn't be here."

"You're a medical professional now?"

"No. But I hear you. Your steps are slow. Your breathing is harsh. You're still in pain." Kranz's mouth curls, "You are a liability."

"Thanks, Kranz. You really know how to make someone feel welcome."

"You say this because I'm not coddling you?" Kranz pulls his gloves off and kicks a bottle towards Nizer; how he'd known it was there, Nizer didn't want to ask, " _You_ know you shouldn't be here. You just have nowhere else to be." He leans against the wall and his blind eyes roam, "I know how it feels."

Nizer says nothing. Kranz is not someone who is simply spoken to. He is someone who speaks to you, when he chooses to speak at all. Besides, Nizer's not willing to admit the truth in what Kranz is saying. He strips his own training gloves off and sits, because his chest is tight and his breathing his short.

"You know where to find me," Kranz says, hand on the wall to find his way to the door, "when you're well enough to throw some real punches."

* * *

When Jenos returns, he lets himself into Nizer's flat and calls out for him. Nizer, who sleeps lightly now and hates it, wakes and calls back. Jenos drops a brown envelope into his lap before collapsing into the empty chair. There's dirt on his uniform and he looks bruised and battered and the pangs in Nizer's chest tell him it could have been worse.

"From our glorious overseers," Jenos says, "Probably about whether or not you still have a job."

Nizer tears open the envelope and reads the letter inside. It's brief and to the point, which is to be expected, but it's still a blow.

"Suspended from duty," he says, dropping the letter.

"Better than a dismissal."

"It's as good as, Jenos."

Jenos is quiet again. They're losing the edge of comfort and familiarity that they'd used to have with each other; Nizer's injuries and Beluga's death have become a wedge between them and, somehow, that hurts more than anything. After Ash, Jenos is his closest friend, maybe his only friend. Jenos catches him watching and his expression is reassuring.

"You won't be dismissed," he says and he shifts, winces because of an injury Nizer can't see, "Not if I have any say in it."

They both know that the chances of Jenos having any say are slim to none. Nizer says nothing about that; instead, he asks about the island. In answer, Jenos lifts his shirt, shows off the livid bruising that's spread across his ribs and stomach.

"A wall was dropped on me," he says and he's proud, "so I dropped one on them."

Nizer stands and retrieves one of the many ice packs he keeps in his freezer, hands it to Jenos who presses it to his ribs with obvious relief. He looks up at Nizer.

"And how are you feeling now?"

There are a multitude of answers. Angry. Frustrated. Bored. Empty. Lost. Nizer says none of them.

"Coping," he says. He runs a hand through Jenos's hair, "Thank you for coming home."

* * *

He breaks Kranz's nose the next time they spar together. Kranz reels back and Baldor laughs; it's a jarring sound, too rough and too hoarse, and Nizer does wonder where such a sound came from.

"Which hurts more, Kranz?" he says, "Your nose or your ego?"

Kranz says something that would have been far more at home in Baldor's mouth. It does nothing to diminish Baldor's grin, nor the sense of pride that has grown somewhere behind Nizer's sternum; he's bested Kranz and the pain in his chest, the pain that's lingered since that catastrophic day in the castle, has lessened to a dull ache.

"I will never bet with you again," Kranz says through clenched teeth. His closed tone does nothing to lessen Baldor's grin.

"You bet against Kranz?" Nizer asks, "That's not like you."

"Keeps his ego down," Baldor says with a shrug, "Besides, I know what you're like." Something colours his cheeks, "Stubborn fuck."

Nizer leaves that day with his head held high. He's bested Kranz. Baldor, of all people, has faith in him.

Ash would be proud.

* * *

Jenos is quiet in the cool of the evening. He's gold in the light of the setting sun and, gods, if Nizer had never been tempted before…

The other Number says nothing when Nizer kisses him, down his neck, along his collar bone. Nizer presses his ear over the other man's sternum and listens to his heartbeat, steady and all too human for what Chronos wants him to be.

Sometimes, he wonders how their lives would have been if they had never encountered Chronos.

"You're clingy today," Jenos says eventually and the sound of his voice is a gentle rumble against Nizer's ear.

"No," Nizer says, "I'm cold."

"What's new?" Jenos says but he still curls around Nizer, protective as a shield wall.

"I'll be back to work soon," Nizer says and the idea still makes his stomach churn. Lying awake at night, thinking about it, he still feels the bullet in his back, sees Ash's blood soaked mouth around words he can barely voice and _he doesn't want to die_ _Nizer_ _ **do something**_

He's brought back from his thoughts by Jenos sitting up, moving away from him. He looks to see Jenos considering him, eyes dark and his expression a mix of elation and disbelief.

"Really?" he says, "Because Shao's great and all but he's really starting to creep me out."

"Really. You sound so surprised."

"I am. You've been out for so long, I figured you weren't coming back. I'd walk into headquarters and there'd be a new Number V and you'd be declared dead and struck from the record and I wouldn't be allowed to see you again."

Nizer blinks, "They do that?"

"Threatened Kranz with it."

He closes his eyes and feels Jenos lie alongside him, their positions reversed. He breathes in with shaking lungs and he's relieved and he's content. He's still alive. He's still here.

He still _is_.


End file.
